The Assassin's Tale
by Warcry
Summary: A story told to a grand child about "The Most Famous Assassin in all the Realms." (Finished) Sequel on the way. -WC
1. Chapter One

**The Assassin's Tale, Chapter One**

"So you're going to read me a story about the most famous assassin in all the realms?!" the boy, no more than 10 winters old, eagerly asks his grandfather. "Yes, my young one. You are almost of the age where you'll need to know more of the wide world, and I can think of nothing better than to read to you of the exploits of the famous assassin." the grandfather says with a mysterious smile and a nod. "Now, climb up under your covers, and prepare for a good lesson of intrigue, deception, and vengeance!" the grandfather says with a gleam in his eye. Excited to the point of silence, the boy eagerly climbs into his bed and pulls up his patch-covered quilt about him.

"Now, ahem. Let me get comfy here." Grandfather says as he adjusts his seat in the sturdy wooden chair, carved with intricate patterns of ravens and weasels upon it's surface. After getting comfortable, and running a hand through his straight grey hair, pulled into a pony tail in back, the grandfather cracks open the book. The book itself is old, possibly older than the grandfather, bound in black leather, with vellum pages, hand-scripted black ink, and a worn leather worked image of a raven on the front cover.

"Page one..., not always the best place to start a book, my boy, but a start none the less." the grandfather says to the boy, who promptly gives him a curious stare at the comment. The boy intakes a breath as if to ask a question, but holds it as his grandfather continues. "The Assassin's Tale. An account of the most famous assassin in all the realms." the grandfather reads from the title on page one. The boy then lets out his held breath in an anticipating sigh and a smile.

"Once, upon a time, not so very long ago..." the grandfather begins. "Wait!" the boy says. "What do you mean, "not so long ago?", isn't this the most famous assassin of all the realms?" the boy asks in disbelief. "Well yes, my boy, of course." grandfather says patiently. "Then didn't it happen long ago, in a legendary time?" the boy asks. "No, young one. It happened not long before you were born, about the time your parents were your age, as a matter of fact." the grandfather explains, gently pulling a grey quilt around his suddenly cold feet with a smile at the welcome warmth. "Ohhh," says the boy, suddenly anxious. "Fear not, my boy, for we're quite safe, the assassin hasn't been seen for many winters." the grandfather explains confidently. The boy, nodding, settles back down.

"Now, where was I? Oh yes, page one." the grandfather begins again. "Once, upon a time, not so very long ago, there was a strong and handsome Knight, with a white..."

"_Wait!_" the boy exclaims. "A _Knight!?_ What about the assassin? I thought we were reading a story about the assassin! Not some stupid Knight and Princess story!" the boy says with a frustrated frown, knowing full well that grandfather read _this_ story to him last week, and didn't want to be tricked.

"As I said," grandfather continues, "not the best place to start a book, but a start. And yes, this story is about the assassin, not the Knight. You'll just have to trust me." Nonplussed, the boy settles back down again. "Swear?" the boy asks.

"Yes, young one. I swear. Here, hold my stone, and if I'm lying, you can keep it." grandfather says as he reaches into his shirt pocket and pulls out a tiny black rock, carved to look like a raven. "_Oh!_ Now I hope it's a Knight's tale!" the boy says wistfully.

Smiling, grandfather continues: "... there was a strong and handsome Knight, with a white horse, shining armor, and a tall lance." Waiting to see if the boy had more to say, but noticing that the rock did the trick, grandfather nods and continues. "The Knight, one Sir Otto Percival," the grandfather says with an inaudible snicker, "was riding his horse to the royal court one fine day." Flipping the page to continue, "Sir Otto, as he was called by his friends, was going to court to meet up with the King and the Princess." the grandfather continues. "I _told you!_" exclaims the boy, back from his reverie about the carving.

"You must learn patience, my boy." says grandfather, with an exasperated shake of his head. "I said nothing about a Knight, King, and Princess _not_ being in the story about the most famous assassin, after all. And do you remember where last week's story left off?" grandfather prompts. The boy thinks for a moment... "Oh yeah..." he says. "The Knight, King, and Princess had all agreed to live happily ever after in the castle. The Knight was going to marry the Princess, and they were going to be happy forever, after the Knight slew the Dragon!" at this point, the boy stands up, and jabs an imaginary sword into an invisible dragon at the end of his bed.

"That's right, my boy. Well, this story is related to it, in as much as it's got the same characters, but a completely different story all together." the grandfather says with a knowing grin. "Now, I'm going to have to ask you to remain calm until the end of the story, then, at the end, if it's not all I've promised, you can keep the stone. Just hang onto it for now, ok?" grandfather admonishes with a smile. "Ok gran-pa!" the boy says, and finally looks as if he'll remain calm. "Right, now, here we go..." says grandfather.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

"The Knight, Sir Otto, had just slain the dragon. He was traveling back to court to meet with the King, King Sauvin, and the Princess, Princess Orowina. In the Kingdom of Sharapuur." grandfather reads. "Now I know you're lying!" the boy says, as though he's just caught his grandfather eating pie he didn't get a bite of.

"There is _no_ King of Sharapuur!" the boy states, a recitation from one of his history lessons. "The "Kingdom" of Sharapuur is desolate desert of cut-throat pirates and slavers!" the boy exclaims. "How right you are, indeed." Grandfather nods his head in acceptance of the facts. "Sharapuur is indeed, as you say, a desolate desert of cut-throat pirates and slavers. But is wasn't always as such. In fact, King Sauvin was indeed one of the last ruling parties of Sharapuur." the grandfather grins inwardly, knowing that his stories often have many side-benefits while reading to the boy, including a good history lesson. "Really!?" the boy says. "But... how?" the boy asks.

"Well now, if I told you all that, it would probably ruin the story, wouldn't it?" the sly grandfather asks. "Oh, you're right!" says the boy, now ready to listen again.

"Now, Sir Otto, Holy Knight of the Golden Serpent, Champion of the Realm, rode his great white warhorse, Cloud, to the gates of the castle. Whereupon the guards in the tower saw their champion coming, and lowered the drawbridge over the moat of snakes to allow him in. The huge creaking barricade lowered by giant chains from the cranks within the..." "_Snakes!?_" the boy cuts in excitedly again. "They have a moat of _Snakes_?" the boy asks in wonderment.

"Yes, oh yes. Poisonous snakes, with the moat walls too-tall to climb out of, fed by all manner of things... including thieves who get caught!" grandfather says, his eyes seeming to glaze over just a bit, as if remembering something. "_Wow_! That's soo exciting!" says the grandchild.

"Indeed! And you should know, many of those snakes are still sacred to the people of Sharapuur to this day. Particularly the Golden Asp, one of the most poisonous snakes in all the world." Grandfather says. The boy gasps, than asks "The one you have on your arm?!" "The very one, correct." grandfather says, pulling his sleeve up to show the glittering tattoo of a golden asp. "The one you shall some day wear, my boy." The grandfather smiles knowingly. The boy, putting two and two together, asks, "If the Knight was of the Golden Serpent, and you have a Golden Serpent on your arm..."

Grandfather shakes his head, "No, my boy. Not of the Order of Knights. Our family is not of that heritage, and in many ways, I am most thankful for that. No, the tattoo does indeed reflect the same Golden Serpent, but for a different reason all together. But that, my boy, is a story for later." "Awww!" the boy says, trying to remind himself to ask for that story tomorrow.

"Let's see, ah yes, ...lowered by giant chains from the cranks within the citadel walls. As Sir Otto was waiting, he contemplated his future. "How wonderful it will be to finally be married to my love, Orowina. Even though King Sauvin bade me quest to slay the Dragon, Bloodflame, a great desert drake, for her hand in marriage. For I have overcome that obstacle, and we are to wed this very week! And I shall use the Dragon treasure as her dowry." How wrong he was. Though Otto and Orowina had been engaged for almost a year now, there was no way for Otto to foresee the true future events that would transpire. For secretly, trouble was brewing within the festively decorated halls of the King's palace. For unbeknownst to Sir Otto, there was more than one man in the court who harbored a burning desire to wed the Princess..."


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

"Inside the castle, Princess Orowina was also contemplating her future, for she too wanted nothing more than to marry Sir Otto, and to help rule her father's nation. But Orowina was no fool, she knew that her father desperately needed the money from the Dragon's hoard, and that this was the primary reason her father bade Sir Otto to slay it in the first place. For the Kingdom was in a state of war, a very costly war, with the powerful Merchant's Guild who had decided that slavery was more profitable than honest labor wages, and that war had almost completely depleted the King's coffers. During that war, which had lasted for almost five years, many attempts had been made to assassinate both the King and the Princess. All had failed, seemingly by accident, oddly enough."

"Accident, grandfather? What, was this assassin _Stupid_ or something?!" the boy says with a smirk on his face. Grandfather chuckles at this. "No, my boy, not one assassin, many assassins failed to kill both the King and the Princess." The boy smirks again, "Many! How could many assassins fail by accident? Didn't someone or something stop them before they could complete their mission?" the boy asks. Smiling inside because of his grandchild's observation, grandfather simply continues.

"It was as if some force, some greater being, was saving the King and the Princess from death. Each time an assassin would come calling, some strange event would take place, and the would-be assassin was killed, more often than not, right in front of the King or Princess!" "Told ya!" the boy says, then sits quietly.

"On one occasion, a large bell, used for ceremonial purposes to call in the next guess, simply fell from the ceiling and squished an assassin crouching in the shadows underneath it with a crossbow!" "_Whoa!_" the boy says, "Yuck! must be a big bell!" The grandfather nods, "And another time, an assassin stood up right in front of the Princess, ready to stab her to death with a dagger, but the dagger fell out of the assassin's hand! And the guards killed him just as he was looking down in confusion at the dagger he dropped." Grandfather chuckles at this one.

"And the most amazing time, was when an assassin was trying to kill both the King and the Princess at the same time by dropping a roof beam atop them and their entourage, but simply slipped and fell, somehow tangling the rope around his neck before hitting the floor, and hung himself!" "Ohh! Ouch!" the boy exclaims. Grandfather puts his finger in the book to mark the place and wags the other one at the boy, "Just remember never to make the mistake of getting caught on the wrong side of the law, my boy, because they'll hang you the same." With that, he goes back to reading: "It was the strangest of events. But the King and the Princess simply thanked their Goddess for the good luck, and went about their days. With double the number of guards, of course.

It was not long after this last assassination attempt that Sir Otto Percival came to court for the first time, much to the excited anticipation of the maids and maidens of the castle, to proclaim victory for his King over the remaining armies of the Merchant's Guild. The King was so pleased with Otto that he allowed him to ask for his daughters hand in marriage. With one stipulation: he must first go forth and slay the Dragon, Bloodflame, and bring the treasure back as dowry for her hand.

Sir Otto succeeded, of course, but that is a different Dragon tale, so to speak." "Of course," grandfather says, as he stops reading for a moment, "I've read that tale, but I don't think Sir Otto managed to slay the Dragon alone..." Ah well, the past is past. "Where was I?" "Sir Otto was going to court to marry the Princess!" says the boy.

"Ah ha! You're right, here we go... Sir Otto rode into the courtyard, dismounted, and handed Cloud's reins to his page, marching into the Palace proper. Sir Otto bowed before his King, then the Princess, and all three smiled broadly at each other. The King and the Princess walked down the steps from their thrones and each embraced Otto in a warm hug. Later that night, all three were dining, planning the impending wedding, and going over the long list of fantastic treasures found in the Dragon hoard. Just as the warm dreamberry pie was being passed around the table, a messenger rushed into the dining room to speak with the King."


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

"My King," whispered the page, "I have urgent news from the Temple of the Golden Serpent!" "Well, my child, spit it out, all here can listen to what you have to say!" the King said audibly. "Yes, highness." the page said in a normal speaking voice. "I regret to inform you, that a messenger to the temple arrived, only to find every one of the Knights inside the Temple of the Golden Serpent slain! We know not yet by whom, but every one of them died in close combat!" At this, Sir Otto stood up and faced the page, confusion and outrage on his face.

"_All_ of my brothers and sisters slain!? I must leave to find out who has done this now! Bring Cloud around to the gate!" And with that, the King and Princess watched in consternation as Otto grabbed his shield and sword, and ran with great speed out of the dining hall toward the courtyard.

"My word!" Said Princess Orowina, "Who could do such a thing? and why? Surely not the Merchant's Guild, if they were defeated on the field of battle!" "You're right, my daughter" stated the King gravely. "It would seem that there's another hand at work here, and one of no small skill."

It was true, for the Order of the Golden Serpent held no less than fifty Knights in it's ranks. And as it was later found, Sir Otto's order lost thirty four of them in that battle. Thirty four Knights in a single battle, in their own temple! Including all of the servants on the premises. Truly this must have been a group of foes with battle expertise beyond the norm! For only the Knights who were on guard seem to have died with weapons and armor in hand, while the majority of the others seem to have been slain as they slept, or read, or while they were eating. They even found one who had been killed with the tip of his own sword as he was apparently cleaning it! It was, of course, an instant bad omen for the Order of the Golden Serpent, and feared that some wrathful deity or demon had simply walked through the temple grounds, slaying everyone without a sound as it invisibly floated along." Grandfather looked up at the boy at this point, and noted that his eyes were large and round, and that he had pulled the covers up close...

"The only reason not every Knight was slain was probably because several were either still on the field or on leave after the battle, and only a single Knight survived. She was gravely wounded, but managed to get out two words before she died in Sir Otto's arms, "Shadow Spinner."

At this, Otto stood up, and drew out his sword! Fearing that very moment for his life. And rightly so, for Sir Otto knew well what the Knight meant..." Grandfather said this last part quietly, looking straight at the boy, building up the anticipation.

"... A Shadow Spinner! A man, or woman, who has become half Shadow! An assassin who slays not one foe, but armies of them!" Grandfather nods slowly, a knowing look, quiet on his features, staring at the boy, (Who was dumbfounded with shock and awe, for never had he heard of such a being.)

"At that exact moment, Sir Otto screamed! He spun around in a circle, holding his shield close, and spoke a word of power! In an instant, his Golden Serpent Shield burst forth a giant beam of golden light! Piercing all the darkness around him, in a massive beam of light, the shape of a shield. Otto spun around in a full circle, as fast as he could, and it was the only thing that saved his life then and there. For upon turning around behind him, a man-sized shadow was revealed! It was holding up what looked like a blade made of shadow, poised to strike into Sir Otto's back!..." The boy, gasping, holds his breath.

"...And faster than thought, the shadow screamed a loud wailing shriek! Then disappeared in an instant, and was gone!" The grandfather looks up from the black leather bound book. "Ok my boy, time for sleep!" the grandfather says. "Ok, but I get to keep the stone until the story is over! You promised!" says the boy. "I did... Didn't I? Agreed. You keep it safe, but don't lose it!" says grandfather, standing up from his carved chair, tucks his grandson in with a kiss on the forehead, then blows out the candles.


	5. Chapter Five

"Grandfather! Grandfather! It's bedtime! It's time for the story again!" the boy, impatiently waiting the entire day, exclaims. "Well, it's a bit early, but then, I don't think going to bed early once in a while is a bad habit..." grandfather says with a smile. Already dressed in his nightclothes, the boy jumps under the covers and says, "Gran-pa, what's a dwee-oam-er?" Taken aback suddenly, the grandfather says, "An interesting question, my boy, who did you see today?" "I saw a man riding by the front gate on his way to town! He was riding a big brown horse and wearing a funny hat!" the boy says, remembering the rider. "Was the hat pointy, like a top?" grandfather asks, suddenly interested. "No, he had a big hat, with a big black feather in it, and he was wearing a grey cloak, with black boots" the boy says, thinking that this is indeed a fun memory game. "Oh, and he had a sword, but no shield or lance, and no shiny armor, so he wasn't a Knight." says the boy, disappointed. "But he did stop, and said to me, "That's an interesting Dwee-oam-er you have there, boy. Just remember, Raven's like to fib." and with that, he rode off! What did he mean, gran-pa?" "Very interesting, indeed, my boy. When did you say you saw this man?" grandfather asks. "Early this morning, after milking the cow and checking the hens." the boy says, nodding. "Ahh, well then, seems harmless enough." says grandfather. "He was talking about the stone I gave you, I should think." grandfather says, a smile playing about his lips. "The stone? It's a raven!" the boy says, suddenly figuring it out. "But what's a dwee-oam-er, is that another name for stone?" the boy asks again. "No my boy, a dweomer is a magical item." grandfather says, as the boy's eyes light up suddenly. "I was going to wait to tell you this, but seeing as how it's been uncovered by a stranger, the stone I'm having you take care of allows you to speak with ravens!" grandfather explains, knowing now that bedtime will probably be called off. "_Speak_ with ravens!" the boy says excitedly. "Oh, oh! So wonderful! You mean, I can _talk_ to a raven now?!" the boy, practically jumping to the window, says as he gets out of bed. "Well, my boy, yes, in a manner of speaking, you could. Of course, the raven would have to want to speak to you, as well. And the man is right, raven's don't always tell the truth. In fact, they tend to fib more than humans, but if you can find an honest one, it's well worth the effort, usually." grandfather explains. "So amazing! But wait, gran-pa, just how did the man know?..." the boy, calming at the realization, asks. "Ah ha! A smart boy, you take after your grandfather..." grandfather grins. "How did he know? How would you know?" grandfather asks, playing a new game to see how his grandchild will do. "Well, if I could talk to Ravens, maybe I would know about a stone like this one..." the boy says, taking out the carving from his shirt pocket. "Or, if I knew what to look for, or how to look for magic, maybe then I'd know?" the smart boy asks. "Yes, my young one, you are correct." grandfather says. "Both ways might lead you to the answer. But, did the man see the stone?" grandfather asks. "No, he didn't! I always have it in my pocket, because I don't want to lose it." the boy says. "Then he must have "felt" it, or found it on you by way of magic." grandfather iterates. "Which is why I asked if his hat was pointed, because many wizards wear a pointed had, though several I've heard of wear a hat with a feather like the one you've described." grandfather says knowingly.

"Oh! A _wizard!_ in town?! That means there will be a fair! Right, gran-pa?" the boy, now much too eager to sleep anytime soon, asks. "Perhaps, my boy, perhaps." grandfather says, secretly thinking that a fair probably isn't the event most likely to happen soon, but could be as harmless. Grandfather, after closing his eyes for a moment and mumbling something under his breath, looked up to the boy saying "Well, my boy, it's probably going to be easier to find a Raven during the day than at night. Perhaps you'd like to get back to the story and I'll help you find one in the morning?" With that, and a sudden realization that the sooner he went to sleep, the sooner the boy would wake up in the morning, the boy nods and climbs back into bed.


	6. Chapter Six

"Now, where were we? Oh yes, Sir Otto had just learned the cause of his grief. A Shadow-Spinner had entered the Temple of the Golden Serpent, slaying all within. No small feat, considering the martial abilities of the Knights therein." grandfather says, confiding with the boy. "Now, to make matters worse, Sir Otto suddenly realized he was no longer at the castle! And that he had left the King and the Princess, with no Knights from his order there to protect them!' "Uh-oh..." says the boy. Nodding, grandfather continues, "And so, without waiting any further, Sir Otto raced from the Temple to his horse, Cloud, and galloped down the road toward the castle at full speed!" grandfather paused, letting the image of a racing Knight on horseback sink in to his grandson's head. "Then, upon reaching the gate of the castle, Sir Otto was instantly relieved. For the gate was sealed shut, the drawbridge up, exactly as he had left it, and the guards were still at their posts. After gaining entrance to the castle, Sir Otto jumped off of Cloud, and raced inside. Alerting the guards as he went that they should bring the general and warlords to the war room. For the tale of the temple needed to be told, and Sir Otto wanted the plans for the defense of the castle to be drawn up immediately." at this point grandfather stretched a bit, pulled his grey blanket about his feet, and settled in. "The King, the Princess, Sir Otto, the General, and the three other warlords barred all the doors to the war room, and sat, horrified, as Sir Otto recounted the events of the Temple slaughter. "How is it that the messenger made it to us in one piece?" one of the warlords asked. "He was my messenger." said the King. "Bearing a scroll to the Temple of the Golden Serpent to bring Sir Brighthawk and Lady Silverfang to our meeting hall, that we may discuss the future of the Kingdom under our joint solidified rule, with Sir Otto's order, -the King nodding to Otto, being the elite force of arms to represent my rule. He found the temple empty, gazed within, saw the slaughter, and ran out of the Temple. Most likely while the slaughter was yet going on!" the King explained. Grim nods all around the table accepted the logic. "What amazes me most," said the King, "is that if the assassin could so easily kill the Knights of the Golden Serpent, why, then, would he not have simply come here to kill us all as well?" The boy, enlightened to this new idea, spoke up "Yes, gran-pa, why? Why not just kill the King? Instead of his Knights, a much harder target?" the boy asks. "I think we'll have to wait and see..." was all grandfather would say to this. "Who knows the ways of an assassin? Especially a Shadow-Spinner!" The General said, spitting on floor to show his disgust of the profession. "Damn cowards hide in the dark, then sneak up on you while you're dreaming dreams of a fair fight!" said a warlord, also spitting in disrespect at the notion. "I know not." said Sir Otto. "And I care not. For all I know, is that he or she, or _it_, may come here next." And with that, everyone shuddered at the thought. "We would do best, then, to prepare for it's arrival." stated the King flatly. And they did indeed prepare a plan of defense. One that involved several clerics from the temple, with light-bearing spells, and light-enchanted objects, set to go off upon command, throughout the entire throne room and sleeping chambers. But the Shadow-Spinner did not come that night, nor the next, nor the next after that, and Sir Otto, being a Knight, could barely contain himself at the start of the fourth day."

"Why didn't the Shadow-Spinner come, gran-pa?" the boy asks, not understanding. "Because, my boy, Sir Otto had forgotten something about Shadow-Spinners. A Shadow-Spinner is indeed a very powerful assassin, perhaps one of the most powerful kinds, but there is something about them that makes them different from other assassins..." grandfather explains. "What's that, gran-pa?" the boy asks. "Like a spider, the Shadow-Spinner makes a web, then methodically kills everything that gets in it. Not missing a single victim. And it will always chase the one closest to the edge of the web first, to be sure it doesn't get away." grandfather says emphatically. Gasping, the boy says, "The other Knights!" Proud of his young grandchild, grandfather nods knowingly, with the hint of an evil grin creeping across his older, but distinguished features. "Exactly." grandfather says.


	7. Chapter Seven

"At the start of the fourth day, Sir Otto came to an abrupt realization. He realized that the Shadow-Spinner was out there, not at the castle, battling him, as he would have had it. Instead, it was most likely finishing it's job, killing off the rest of his order, and saving him for last! "No!" Sir Otto screamed at the sky, shaking his fist in defiance. "Nooo! I will find you! And when I do, I will show you the light of justice!" Sir Otto vowed. And with that, he strapped on his sword and shield, and bade the page to bring Cloud around to the courtyard. After explaining his mission to the Princess, and to the King, he gave the General and the warlords strict orders to maintain their defenses, and that they should send emissaries to the Wizard's tower, so that they may bring one back, and possibly divine the motives of the assassin, or the one who sent him. Without a further word, Sir Otto rode out of the castle, on the hunt for the killer, or killers, wherever they may be. And he knew just where to start..."

"At the Temple?" asks the boy. "A good guess," grandfather says with a smile. "Close enough, for Sir Otto began his search at the home of Sir Brighthawk and Lady Silverfang.." "Oh yeah!" says the boy. "And upon arrival, Sir Otto found that a battle had indeed occurred, for the home of the Knights was burned to the ground, and to Sir Otto's horror, a message had been left out in front of the home..." grandfather says with a grim nod. "A bloody golden helm, with carved hawk-wings on the side, was resting atop a fence post in front of the house, with a bloody silver dagger jammed into the wood underneath it." grandfather looks to his boy with interest, to see if it had frightened him too much, but to his pleasure, found the boy simply listening intently. Continuing, grandfather reads "It was a clear message to Sir Otto, telling him that he had better hurry to find the others in his order, and without waiting further, Sir Otto raced to the very encampment on the battlefield he had only left some five days ago."


	8. Chapter Eight

"Upon arrival, Sir Otto found that the battlefield was almost completely cleared. For the victors had immediately pressed the remaining forces of the Merchant's guild into the grim labor of burying the dead and clearing the field. Atop a far hill, Sir Otto saw the standards of several Knights, with the Golden Serpent among them. He then rode swiftly to that hilltop to learn the fate of his brothers and sisters-in-arms. Upon arrival, Sir Otto dismounted and entered the tent. Inside, five of his fellow Knights looked up from a map. Surprised to see Sir Otto, a bear of a man, Sir Bolor, said, "Otto, good to see you! I thought you had gone hence to marry your Princess!" At that, the other Knights chuckled at the stereotype, but not maliciously. Sir Otto said, "My brothers, and sister, (for Lady Sandwind was there), we must talk." Grandfather then looked up to the boy, to see his reaction, and the boy, uncharacteristically quiet, was still listening intently, all the while holding onto the raven-stone.

Grandfather continues, "After telling his fellow Knights the tale of the Temple slaughter, Sir Otto and his comrades agree that something must be done about the Shadow-Spinner. Sir Atlan Olvis, a most astute Knight, and a trained cleric, began the process of asking his deity about their situation straight away, praying to Heironeous for justice and insight. "Gran-pa, I thought that Heironeous has followers with a Lightning Bolt in their hand! Not a Golden Serpent..." the boy interjects. "You are right, my boy, very astute of you to notice such a thing. Of course, there is a difference with some Knights between the symbol of their Order, a political standard, usually related to a Kingdom, and their fealty to their God or Goddess in the form of a holy symbol. Sir Altan Olvis probably had a holy symbol of Heironeous somewhere on his person." grandfather explains, smiling again about the nature of a lesson inside a bedtime story. Continuing, grandfather says, "All of the others are slain." Sir Altan Olvis declared, after finishing his meditation. "I spoke with Heironeous, and he stated that we are the last of our kind. We are being hunted by a Shadow-Spinner, who is working alone, without gain!" This last bit of information sent the other Knights in the tent rocking back on their heels! For never, under any circumstances, had they ever heard of a Shadow-Spinner working alone, without the protection of a benefactor or guild, and certainly never for free! Immediately, each of the Knights went to one knee, and begged Heironeous to bless them through Sir Altan Olvis, each of them praying for guidance and repenting their shortcomings. Outside, a chill wind blew across the arid desert highlands, and a sole figure watched the battlefield as the blanket of night covered the land..."


	9. Chapter Nine

"Gran-pa, I've been thinking..." the boy says, just before his grandfather tucks him in for the night and blowing out the candle. "Yes? My boy." grandfather says. "How come you have so many Raven's and Weasel's carved on your chair, and thoughout our home?" At this, the grandfather smiles a kindly smile. "Well, young one, they have both been known to eat snakes... a rather interesting irony in my case, but they also tend to serve rather well as loyal and inconspicous informants." The boy thinks about this for a moment, then says, "How do you speak to them? With words? Do they understand us?" Grandfather thinks about this for a second, then replies, "No, I don't think they understand speech, though Ravens may understand some. They simply "think" to you, and you to them, through the stone. I will happily show you how to use it tomorrow, along with showing you a few things about defending yourself..." grandfather says cryptically. Accepting this with an uncharacteristicly quiet nod, the boy fell asleep.

All that next day, Grandfather taught the boy how to use the stone, and much to the boy's surprise, a Raven did indeed answer his call. A rather large one, no less, that stayed around to watch the boy for the rest of the day, as if wondering how the child could suddenly understand it. The boy also showed fast progress at the simple use of a dagger, which pleased his grandfather to no end. That night, the boy, seeming to have grown much older in a single day, calmly crawled into his covers, and waited patiently for his grandfather to settle in for the nightly story.

"What about weasels, gran-pa?" the boy asked. Now wondering if grandfather was hiding some other magical stone, and wanting to see what a weasel had to say about the world. (For the Raven had told him much! Including the notion that the man on the horse had been riding around near their farm with greater frequency. Of course, he didn't say it that way, more like: "Horse human with feathered head has been looking for food near your territory for some time." But the boy got the basic gist of it. Not feeling like a Wizard would have any interest in him or his grandfather, the boy simply thought the bird had read his excited thoughts about going to a fair in town, and was fibbing to him, as the wizard had warned him a Raven might do. "Weasels?" grandfather said, "Actually, I did have a weasel totem stone, but it was lost when your mother and father..." at that, grandfather trails off. "Oh, that's ok." the boy says. "I like Ravens more, anyway!" the boy says, smiling. "They are a bit better at flying..." grandfather says, and both of them share a good laugh.


	10. Chapter Ten

"Ok, here we go." says grandfather, flipping to the bookmarked page. "As night fell, the assassin prepared. And so did the Knights. The Knights, fully armored, weapons at the ready, set up sentries, both inside the tent and outside. This night, they all slept in their armor, as they had during the battle, should they need to fight at a moments notice. Of course, none of them were sleeping that well, and the sentries were wide awake. Knowing this would be the case, the clever Assassin decided to wait, just to spite the Knights, to find a more favorable time to strike." nodding at this logic, grandfather says to the boy, "Never forget, my boy, that it's not always how you attack, but just as often where and when. Assassins are the best at knowing when their enemy is weak, and when they are strong, and will often wait until the perfect time to strike. Much like the Golden Asp, as a matter of fact, that has been known to pass up food that was too dangerous to strike, until it brushes the snake off as a minor threat, then it strikes once, more often killing the victim immediately than if it had attacked when it's prey was ready..." grandfather looks to the boy, who is listening with rapt attention. "And so it was, that the Assassin waited a day, and another. All the while, frustrating the Knights to no end. It was on the second day that the Knights, suddenly realizing that they might no longer be the targets, packed up camp and began the treck back to the castle, which they feared might have been overrun in their absence!" Grandfather chuckles at this notion, then continues. "An open opportunity presenting itself, the Assassin decided that he could use the open road to his advantage, and followed the Knights. And it wasn't long until Altan Olvis, the Cleric/Knight, fell just slightly behind, recognizing some herbs that would be useful in various healing potions. Before he had even managed to reach down to pull up a root, the Assassin _flowed_ out of the shadows to his side! Dagger in hand, stabbing toward his exposed throat!" at this, the boy's eyes grow wide. "How did he do _that_?" the boy asks. "Well, my boy, with years of training, a Shadow-Spinner learns how to _ask_ a shadow to hide him, even in broad daylight. It's really a magical ability conferred upon the Assassin after a sacrafice or kill dedicated the Shadow Lords, but in the end, the Assassin can walk the shadow plane, travelling in the shadow world at will, and the shadows of this world simply become his allies, helping to conceal him until the time is right. It takes years to achieve..." grandfather trails off, looking at the thoughful look painted on the boys features. "Like, hide and seek, with a shadow helping you?" the boy asks. "Exactly." grandfather says, smiling. "Wow, how amazing!" the boy says, motioning for his grandfather to continue. "Sir Altan Olvis was dead before he hit the ground, without making a sound." grandfather continues, "And the Knights, skittish before, were even more on edge when they turned around and found Sir Altan Olvis lying in a patch of Yarrow." "Yarrow? Gran-pa?" the boy asks. "Yarrow is a small white flower, with grean leaves, that can be used for healing wounds." grandfather explains, drawing a picture of the flower with his dagger on the dirt floor as an impromptu herbalism lesson for the boy.


	11. Chapter Eleven

After spending the rest of the day searching together in vain for the Assassin, the Knights set about burying one of their friend. They prayed to Hieroneous for forgiveness, and begged him to take Sir Altan Olvis into the God's favor. They then each recited a tale of his valor, as is the Knightly tradition, and toasted a drink to his name. After that, they set up their tent and a campfire nearby, and set about trying to sleep until morning. Few of them slept that night, and the Assassin, ever a pragmatic one, knew this. The Assassin slept very well that night indeed, knowing that the Knights would waste their energy expecting an attack, and rose the next day to follow the tired Knights on their way to the castle again.

Because they hadn't gone very far from the battlefield before stopping to bury Sir Altan Olvis, they still had a full day of riding, or a half day of hard riding, to make it to the castle. The Knights chose the latter, for they were indeed in a rush to get to the castle, to see what had befallen their Princess and King.

The Assassin relished this, for he knew the way to the castle well, and took his sweet time going to the castle. For the Assassin knew something else. He knew the way into the castle, a secret way that only the brave, or only the foolish, would use attempt to gain access. The way through the moat of snakes! "_Through_ the moat of snakes!?" the boy exclaims at this. "Yes, a secret way, guarded by the best kind of guards, snakes!" grandfather says. "No normal Assassin would attempt to gain access through the castle this way, but this particular Assassin knew something else that the King did not. He knew that his particular sect, his guild, was that of The Golden Serpent!" grandfather pauses dramatically. "The Golden Serpent? Gran-pa?" the boy asks, confused. "Isn't that the Order of Sir Otto?" the boy asks, continuing the line of reasoning. "The very same." grandfather says. "But if The Golden Serpent is an assassin's guild, and the Knights are of The Order of the Golden Serpent, then how can they both be the same? Are they _Assassin Knights!?_" the boy says, suddenly very excited. The grandfather has a good chuckle at the thought, then says, "No no, though that is an interesting, and rather frightening, thought indeed…" grandfather says, reflecting on the notion. "There was no way the Knights could have known about the Assassin's Guild with the same name…" grandfather says. "It's my belief that their _God_ told them to take the name, of course." grandfather says, emphasizing the notion that this may have been the case. "Knights ever have been known to try to redeem a cause they view as Evil with their cause for good, wittingly or unwittingly. I could see an instance where their God may have told them to take the name, in the hopes that they would eradicate the Assassins Guild, and take the prestigious symbol for the cause of what they deem to be good." grandfather explains.

"Therein lies the crux," grandfather says to the boy, "for if the Knights had not taken the name away from the Assassins, they might not have incurred the wrath of the Shadow-Spinner. Yet if their God had told them of the Assassins Guild, which I feel he did not, they might have had a chance…, though they would have had to fight a war to win the name." grandfather confides with the boy. "Perhaps their God did it on purpose, to see who was the stronger, deliberately trying to bring about a fight, but this is usually not the case of the Goodly Gods…" grandfather speculates, trailing off in thought. "Who had the name first?" the observant boy asks. "Well, my boy, seeing as how Sir Otto was one of the founding members, I would have to say that the Assassin's Guild first held the name, if that indeed determines ownership over something…" grandfather says, "but know this, my boy, it matters little who owned something first, and matters much who is left standing in the end to claim ownership after the dust settles…" grandfather says, grinning. "The Raven stone, for instance…" grandfather says, "I owned it first, but you shall be the last of us two to own it…" grandfather states, knowing it to be true. At this, the boy reflects on the notion.

"You mean I get to _keep_ the stone gran-pa?" the boy asks excitedly. "Yes, young one, in due time, it will be yours. It is, after all, a family heirloom." grandfather explains, smiling. "That, and a few other skills and objects I'll continue to show you how to use tomorrow. in fact, I think it's about time I showed you a few of our family secrets, including the Secret of the Golden Asp" grandfather says in a hushed, conspirators voice. "But for now, I think it's time you went to sleep. We've got an early day tomorrow, after all." and with that, grandfather tucks the boy in, and blows out the candle. The boy, thoughts filled with the adventure ahead, takes a bit longer this evening to go to sleep, but when he finally does, he dreams of a big black Raven, telling him that all is well this night.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Early the next day, grandfather woke the boy with strange smells coming from the kitchen. The boy sat up, eyes wide at the new scents, and got ready for his day quickly, for he did not wish to miss the magic going on in the other room. Just as the boy walked in, grandfather was smelling the bitter broth, stirring it with a silver spoon. "What is it, gran-pa?" the boy asks, interested. "Ahh, good morning my boy." grandfather says, diverting his attention from the concoction. "This, my young one, is another family heirloom..." grandfather explains cryptically.

Grandfather grabs a stool, puts it near the counter, and motions for they boy to stand next to him. The boy, standing upon the stool, waits patiently for his grandfather to explain. "This is the base for the paste, grandfather explains, holding up a small group of pale blue and white flowers. Mix them with boiled water, while the water is hot, like this." grandfather explains, as he pours a small amount of boiling water into a mixing bowl. "Then mash them up, and let it all dry out after rolling the flowers into a small orb." grandfather shows the boy all of this. "These Goat's Rue flowers heal poison." grandfather says, showing the boy a completed one. "Poison?" the boy asks. "Yes, my boy, before you can learn to make poison, you must learn how to heal it." grandfather explains. "These flowers grow out front, have you seen them in the garden?" grandfather asks. The boy nods, affirming that he has, and they continue.

"Now these, my boy, are indeed rare." grandfather says, pulling out a small black vial from the back of the top cupboard. Tapping the vial, grandfather says, "Don't ever touch one of these, unless you have the same tattoo I have on my arm, or unless you've eaten one of the flower pills, ok?" The boy says "Ok gran-pa." eating the pill grandfather gives him. "Hold our your hand" grandfather says. The boy, eager to see the rare treasure, holds out his hand. Into it, grandfather gently taps out three small scales, glowing golden in the sunlight!

"Are these _Golden Asp_ scales?!" the boy says, recognizing them from his grandfather's tale. "I thought the Golden Serpent was just a story!" the boy says, looking at grandfather with fresh understanding. "No, my boy, the tale is true." grandfather says seriously. "The Golden Serpent Scales are Poison!" the boy says, contemplating. "Then that must be why the Assassin's guild uses the Golden Asp as it's symbol!" the boy says, figuring it all out. "A very astute observation, my boy, I am proud of you today." grandfather says smiling. "Shall we continue?" grandfather asks. Nodding yes, the boy and the grandfather spend the rest of the morning concocting the ancient secrets of the Golden Asp. The boy learns quickly and well, needing only to be shown something once before understanding it, making his grandfather most proud.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Just before dark that very same day, the boy, playing outside for the last remaining hour before his bedtime, received an image from the Raven. It was a disjointed image, as though the Raven simply wished to show the boy some of his day. After a small pause, the boy realized that this is the Raven's way of simply saying "Hello, here is my day, how was yours?"

Unexpectedly, the Raven alighted atop a branch in a tree only a few feet from where the boy was searching for some of the healing plants his grandfather had told him about in the morning.

"Well, hello, Mr. Raven." the boy says, curious that the bird would come so near to him. The Raven, ever precocious like so many of his kind, stared a beady coal black eye at the boy and says in a scratchy voice,. "Well, hello, Boy." Shocked, dumbfounded, and speechless, the boy can only stare at the bird, wondering if he actually just _heard_ the bird actually _speak_ to him? "Yes, yes, I speak two-leg." says the bird, matter-of-fact, reading the boys thoughts with what the boy could _swear_ must be a smile on the Raven's face. "But only you have the totem, so everyone else does not understand us." the Raven says, explaining.

The boy, shaking his head in wonderment, finally says, "Wow! That's _amazing!_ It's very nice to meet you… um, Mr. Raven." The Raven, perking up, says, "Ah, not Mr. Raven. I am called Kooraw." At this, the Raven caws, "Koo-raw, koo-raw." "You see?" he asks. The boy is again too speechless to answer, and only nods his head in agreement. "Amazing…" he says again. "Well, Mr. Ra, I mean, Kooraw, I should go in! My grandfather is reading me the story of "The Greatest Assassin in all the Realms", the boy says proudly. "And I don't want to be late, because I want to find out who he is." explains the boy after seeing that the Raven ruffle his feathers at his last statement.

"He is not you? Surely you be." the Raven asks. "_Me?_" the boy says with a little chuckle. "No no, I'm not _him_, he lived a long time ago! Before I was born." the boy explains patiently. "No no, you are he, is he not?" the Raven asks, cryptically. "Um.. I don't, that is, I guess I don't understand the question." the boy says quickly, "But, maybe we'll talk later?" the boy asks hopefully. "You will be, and talk with me." the Raven says in another strange rhyme. "Tomorrow!" the boy says, waving as he runs off. The Raven simply stands upon his branch and nods his head knowingly.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Ready" grandfather asks. "Ready gran-pa" the boy says. "Excellent, here we go" grandfather says, flipping to the correct page.

"And so, the Assassin, knowing how to get into the castle undetected, climbs into the moat of poisonous snakes." grandfather reads, already building up the tension in the story. "Surrounded by every kind of poisonous biting snake in all the lands of Sharapuur, the Assassin fears them not, and simply walks casually through them…"

"Wait a minute, gran-pa!" the boy says, incredulous. "_Walks!?"_the boy asks. "Yes, he simply walked through." the grandfather says, smiling at the look of wonder on the boy's face.

"How!?" the boy asks. "I mean, you don't just _walk_ through a moat of snakes!" The boy asks. "Well, my boy, he wouldn't be the Greatest Assassin in all the Realms if he didn't have a few tricks up his sleeve, now, would he?" grandfather says, refusing to ruin the secret until the end of the story. "You'll just have to wait, I promise, you'll find out eventually." grandfather says knowingly.

"Oh, ok, gran-pa." the boy says, giving up with a small sigh. "And so, simply walking through the snakes, who didn't even try to bite him, the Assassin grinned in an Evil smile as he entered the castle through the heavily locked metal door to the castle dungeon. For what is an Assassin, if he cannot open a complex lock?" grandfather continues.

"After gaining entrance to the castle, the Assassin makes his way to a place he knows all too well..., the throne room." grandfather reads. "For the Assassin had indeed been here many times in the past…" grandfather says, before the boy can ask the question he knows is coming, then continues, "...He was, in fact, a suitor to the Princess herself!" and with that proclamation, grandfather pauses dramatically, watching the boy's eyes widen in understanding.

"Yes, the Assassin, the Greatest Assassin in all the Realms, the Shadow-Spinner who had already slain an untold number of Knights, was secretly an admirer of the Princess. But now, he was here for a much different reason, and would not let anyone; the Knights, or others like the Assassins he had killed to protect the Princess before, get in his way…" grandfather continues, building up the surprise for the boy, who can only listen in wonder at these newest revelations.

"He is on the way here now! I know it!" Sir Otto states to the King, the Princess, the Warlords, and his fellow Knights who are left standing. "I _know_ he is!" Sir Otto states emphatically to those around him, who are now not so sure, for the Assassin had not shown himself for some time. "We've sent emissaries to all of the people left in power in Sharapuur, and none claim to know anything about this Assassin." the King says, beginning to wonder why he was the target of this Assassin he had never seen or heard of until now. "We have doubled the guards, and no new assassination attempts have happened since you overthrew the Merchant's Guild, now two months past!" the King says, on the edge of his patience with the whole affair.

""Yes, my King." Sir Otto says, "But this is how he works! He is simply waiting for us to let down our guard so that he can slay us all." Sir Otto states, matter-of-factly. "Well, I for one will not live my life in perpetual fear, Sir Otto." the King says. "And I say let him come as he may, for I shall not entertain the notion of being holed up in this castle, constantly surrounded by guards, anymore." the King decrees.

And with those words, and nods all around, (save from Sir Otto, who can only shake his head in sad reservation), the King and his entourage escort the Princess outside for some fresh air.

Inside , however, hidden away in the rafters above the throne, the Assassin smiles to himself as he stares into the dark shadows of the stone castle walls.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

The next day, the boy woke early so that he might seek out the Raven, his newest friend in his small world on the farm in the country, where only he and his grandfather had lived for the last few years.

"Did you learn of he? Wasn't me! Wasn't me! Indeed." a voice suddenly says. The boy, twirling around, sees the raven perched on the wooden fence near the house. "Not yet! But it's so exciting! The Assassin is going to fight with the remaining Knights!" the boy explains, then realizes that the Raven doesn't know the entire story.

"How many left? A Kingdom Bereft. Their Knights dead and gone? Indeed, Indeed." the Raven says, and lets out a mighty "Koo-raw, Koo-raw!" and with that, he shows the boy a mental image of a pile of seeds, and files off to find them. Waving goodbye to the bird for now, the boy goes about his chores.

Grandfather trains the boy later that day in the way of dagger fighting, and more of herbalism. "All very useful skills, my boy, that's why I'm showing you. As you may need them someday. Perhaps it's time I considered sending you off to school, seeing as how I have that gold saved in our favorite treasure spot…" Grandfather reflects.

The boy, sensing that he might soon be sent away, quickly says, "Not before I get to hear the end of the story! No way!" Grandfather smiles at this and says, "Of course not, now wash up and we'll get dinner." And with that, they go in for the night.

"Ready, my boy?" Grandfather says. "Yep, all set!" the boy says, waiting eagerly for the story to begin.

"Sir Bolor was walking back to his chambers after the great hunt that the King had decreed for the day, the one to prove to the rest of the world that no Assassin was going to ruin his life, when the candles in Sir Bolor's room suddenly all went out at once. Then the heavy door slammed shut behind him, with a loud thud of the locking bar in it's place. Sir Bolor, a huge, battle hardened man, still dressed in his armor, but without his shield or helm, drew his sword almost immediately after this. "You're going to have to fight for my blood this day!" Sir Bolor roared at the darkness. But the Assassin, ever a pragmatic sort, set about the Knight without a single word. Clangs in the darkness resounded like a strange symphony of death, with sparks setting off where the two combatants collided in the meager moonlight filtering in through the window. Sir Bolor, being trained in night-fighting, surprisingly held his own against the streaming wall of blades the Assassin spun around him with both hands. But it was not enough, for even with his armor and sword, Sir Bolor was without his shield, and because of this, he slowly began to lose the battle. Tearing across the bed, through the pillows, over the night-table, crashing and slashing, both combatants fought ferociously. Sir Bolor even managed to pick up a candle holder and throw it at the Assassin with a thud against his chest. Just as the Assassin was closing in for the kill, pounding on the other side of the door began banging loudly against the strong oak.

With renewed energy, Sir Bolor grabbed the side of the large bed with his free hand and picked it up with the Assassin still standing in it! With a mighty tumble the bed crashed toward the window, breaking it completely apart, spraying glass to the stones below.

But the great wooden bar held firm, and the would-be rescuers on the other side could still not get in. Peering over the side of the tumbled bed to try to find the Assassin, Sir Bolor found nothing. No Assassin at all. He then turned and released the great bar on the door, and found three guards crashing into his lap.

After getting them off of him, and assuring him that he was still all in one piece, the guards began to file back out of the room. The last one turned to ask Sir Bolor what all the commotion was, and found Sir Bolor standing there staring at him, with a look of utter surprise painted across his face. Eyes wide, mouth hanging open, Sir Bolor didn't move. The guard, suddenly worried, grabbed the Knight to steady him, and found out the reason for Sir Bolor's expression. He had been backstabbed from behind, just above the collar of his breastplate, right in the neck! Sir Bolor then fell over with a resounding crash and clang of armor, despite the smaller guard's attempts to support his weight.

A thorough search of the room immediately following this found nothing, nothing at all but the dagger, left as a calling card in Sir Bolor. It was later assumed that the Assassin had used the open window to escape." grandfather pauses while reading. "And that, my boy, is why you never, ever, assume that your enemy has fled the battlefield just because you brought in reinforcements and can no longer locate them." grandfather says in his familiar lecturing way, making sure the boy is listening.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter 16**

"That same night, the two remaining Knights, the King, the Princess, the General, and the Warlords all met again. "It seems you were right, Sir Otto." the King says in a defeated tone, as though all hope has been lost to him. "We may not live to see tomorrow." Sir Otto, thinking hard upon these words, says, "You could be right, for Sir Bolor was indeed one of the best fighters I have ever known. But at least we have good on our side." Sir Otto states, with nods coming all around. "Pray that we are good enough." Lady Sandwind says flatly. "The only chance of success we have is to band together." Lady Sandwind continues. "If he catches us alone, none of us may live to see the morn." And with that everyone agrees, stands up, and dons their weapons. "Then we shall seek him out, for he must still be in the castle this night, for I know now he wishes us all dead." Sir Otto states.

And they were right. For the Assassin did indeed want all of the Knights, the general, and the warlords to die as well. He did not, however, wish any harm to come to the Princess or the King."

"Why not?" the boy asks. "Why not the Princess or the King?" Grandfather looks at the boy, with a far away look, and says, "Well, my boy, perhaps he liked the King and the Princess, but not those who fought for them." And with that, he continued reading, "And so, the Assassin set about a way to get rid of the General, the Warlords, and the Knights. He would do something most Assassins would not do. He decided that he would openly challenge these fools right then and there! In open combat. Hand to hand, one against eight." As Grandfather reads this last part, he pauses, and says, "You must understand my boy, that no typical Assassin would ever, under any circumstances, attempt this ploy. But after having worked on their emotions, and playing on their fears for many days, and being that he could summon the very Shadows to work for him, against his enemies, he knew he had a fair chance of winning the fight." As the awestruck boy waited, Grandfather continued.

"He didn't of course, give them any advantages. No open declaration of his arrival. No waiting, talking, or negotiating. He simply strode up to the door, after walking through the halls of the castle, silently killing any who got in his way. Not a single guard screamed. Not a single servant who stepped into the hallway stepped out of it. The Assassin was a Shadow of Death. The Shadow Spinner of legend, and he would afford no quarter to those foolish enough to be caught in his Web of Death.

The Assassin approached the door of the War Room, listened to those inside, and waited patiently as the meeting adjourned. The door, swinging open as one of the Warlords pushed on it, snapped back and closed with a resounding thud! The Warlord who had pushed the door open fell backwards, clutching his face, and promptly fell, face up, with a dagger rammed to the hilt in his eye.

No one moved, for not a single person wanted to be the next to open that door… Finally, Sir Otto drew his sword, said a prayer to his God, and charged out of the room, bashing the door into the hallway, breaking it off of the hinges in the process.

Looking around, Sir Otto found the entire hallway completely empty. He looked all around, then motioned for the rest of the group to come out. They all drew their weapons, with even the Princess holding a dagger, and carefully tread down the hallway, making their way to the throne room…


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

Upon entering the throne room, Sir Otto saw no one in attendance. No court pages, no waiting visitors, and notably, no guards. He did, however, see one person, for the Assassin was there, sitting upon the throne!

"How dare you!" Sir Otto roared, charging to the bottom steps that lead up the fifty or so steps to the throne's dais. "I challenge you, here and now! Stand forth, and receive the justice of Heironeous before all present to witness!" Sir Otto railed on. Standing up, quiet as Death, the Assassin, dressed in all grays and blacks, with a long, hooded black cloak, black boots, grey tunic, pants, and a black belt, simply smirked beneath his hood at Sir Otto.

"No!" came a voice behind Sir Otto. Sir Otto turned, hearing the woman's voice, and saw Lady Sandwind standing there, sword also drawn, resplendent in her shining silvery armor. "I wish the right of challenge!" she stated coldly. "He has killed my brothers, sisters, and kin." she said as she spat toward the Assassin.

"We shall all fight him at once." the General piped in, bearing forth his great war hammer, with the Warlords quickly behind him, all bearing similar arms. "He deserves no honor." the General spat, making the choice clear for all.

And as a group, they all charged up the steps to dance the Shadow Spinner's favorite dance, The Dance of Death.

"It is very late, my boy, shall we continue? Or shall we wait until tomorrow for the rest of the story?" Grandfather pauses to ask. "Oh! Do continue!" the boy says, obviously wide awake, and in no way wanting to wait to find out more.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen **

"I understand, then we shall continue." Grandfather says, smiling a bit.

"The Assassin stood up, without a further word, and simply stared down at his remaining enemies who were now charging full speed up the stairs to rush in and kill him. The King and the Princess retreated a bit, away from the impending melee.

Just then, something rather strange happened. Sir Otto, the first to rush up the dais, arched his greatsword in a huge chop of death directly over the Assassin's head. But the Assassin didn't even move! Not an inch." "What!?" the boy asks excitedly. "Just wait, here's the good part." grandfather says, and continues. "Sir Otto's sword hit it's mark, chopping all the way down to the Assassin's head, and his sword simply cut _through_ him! As if cutting through a ghost!

With the power of his chop overextending himself, Sir Otto followed through with the chop, all the way to the floor, and promptly fell through the illusion of the Assassin, falling on his face next to the throne.

Lady Sandwind wasn't far behind Sir Otto in his charge, and she too didn't realize the mistake she had made until after she tumbled down atop Sir Otto, in a heap of plate mail, sword, helmets, and shields." Grandfather and the boy get a good laugh at this image, and Grandfather continues.

"The General and his Warlords stopped after seeing this, and suddenly began to look around, realizing too late that they were indeed in great peril, for the Assassin had counted on all of them to be too intent on killing him and pent up with rage to disbelieve his well-placed illusion, and had taken care to be in the right place at the right time, on the dais stairs, just behind the Warlords and the General.

Without a sound, the Assassin _melted_ into view, his invisibility spell expended, as he cleanly dispatched the first Warlord with a vicious stab to his neck before the man could even turn around.

With only two opponents left, the Shadow Spinner came in, full speed, with his second dagger, lifting the man's sword arm up with his free hand before he could swing, and rammed the dagger to the hilt into the man's exposed armpit.

That left only the General, the most dangerous of the three, and a seemingly unarmed Assassin. He brought his great longsword to bear against the Assassin, cautiously striking and slashing, forcing the Assassin back down the stairs, into the shadow of a stone column. A big mistake that would be the General's last, and one that the Assassin had counted on.

For the Shadow-Spinner is a being related in many ways to the shadows. He draws his power from them, and in turn, they help him. The second the Shadow-Spinner's foot touched the Shadow, he vanished!

The General, cautious about this attack, was surprised, but to his credit, not fooled. He immediately spun around and saw the attack coming in, a dagger full on toward where his neck would have been. For the Shadow-Spinner had re-materialized behind him in from the shadow of the next column up!

The General stepped back quickly, and in doing so, lost his balance on the stairs. The Assassin, needing no prompting at this opportunity, did something that would become legend. He threw his dagger, deliberately an inch or two to the right of the General's head.

Then, quicker than thought, the Assassin vanished again. The General never had a chance. For the Assassin was behind him again, but this time, he had _caught his own dagger!_" "Whoa!" the boy says loudly, excited. "No way!"

"Indeed" Grandfather says, smiling a full smile this time. "The Assassin had thrown the dagger at _himself_. Vanished into the Shadow plane, and re-materialized behind the General just in time to catch his dagger in mid-flight. After catching it, he did a quick spin, and impaled the dagger right into the General's throat!"

"All the way to the hilt? Gran-pa?" the boy asks, recognizing a pattern here.

"Yep. All the way to the hilt, my boy. It's actually a favorite saying among Assassin's. They say "To the Hilt", meaning, "Go all the way, or don't bother going." It's a pact, one that Assassin's make to show how loyal they are to their profession. Even though they could get caught, killed, or tortured." Grandfather explains, happy to relate another lesson.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

Continuing, Grandfather reads, "Lady Sandwind was the first to recover from the tumble that she and Sir Otto took after overcompensating for the illusion. She stood up in time to see the General die, a look of shock on his face.

Before he dropped his sword to the ground, the Assassin had vanished, melting into the shadows, yet again.

This time, the attack was not so forthcoming. Sir Otto stood up, wary, with Lady Sandwind scanning around, looking at every shadow as though it might suddenly attack her. From a voice high up above, the very place where one former Assassin had been found after he seemingly hung himself, they heard a voice.

"Let down your weapon, good Lady, and I shall spare you. Leave now, and no harm will come to you." the Assassin said. "Fool Assassin!" Lady Sandwind spat the words. "I run from no man!" and with that, she taunted, "Unless you're too _weak_ to fight me."

That was all the prompting the Assassin needed. For he was not one to back down from a direct challenge. Then, yet another thing that would make the legends of the Bards happened.

Daggers, at least six of them, started flying at Lady Sandwind from seemingly every direction at once! It was as if every shadow in the room suddenly threw a dagger at her! There was little Lady Sandwind could do other than dodge, using her shield to try to deflect the oncoming daggers.

It was during this time that she looked down, after falling to one knee in the onslaught, and never looked up again.

Dropping her sword to her side, slumping where she kneeled, Sir Otto, the King, and the Princess all stood in horror and amazement as they saw what had killed her, and where that strike had come from.

Her _own shadow_ had been the opening that the Assassin had used to strike at her last. The dagger, rammed to the hilt, had gone straight through the exposed part of her neck, just under the chin, straight up toward the ceiling.

The Assassin had shadow walked through her own shadow! Using the other daggers as a distraction, and had killed her as easily and quickly as if she had been standing there without any armor on." Grandfather stops at this, and looks to the boy, who is truly amazed this time, with his mouth agape at the concept of his own shadow being used against him.

"Now, my boy, this is truly something to consider. For Shadow-Spinners are rightly named. They traverse the shadow plain at will, and may strike from almost any shadow. However, this shows the Shadow-Spinner's true respect for the woman Knight, for only the most desperate Shadow-Spinner would risk walking _into someone's shadow._

It is not something to take lightly, for the Shadow-Spinner could die if the shadow changes place too quickly. But the Assassin must have truly wanted to kill Lady Sandwind quickly and cleanly to take such a risk upon himself."

Dumbfounded, the boy could still only sit and stare at the wall, still contemplating the scene as it was described to him.

"Perhaps that is enough of a story for this evening, my boy?" Grandfather asks. Nodding, as if returning to this reality, the boy says, "Yes, Gran-pa, amazing. But..., could you leave the lantern on tonight?"

Ever caring for his grandson's well being, grandfather smiles knowingly, and leaves the light burning and the door cracked on his way out. At which time, the boy, still thoughtful, took a good long while to get to sleep.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

"He is coming, you should prepare." a voice says to the boy as he starts to wake. "What?" the boy says. "Who?" Just then, grandfather cracks open the door, looking in on the boy, who had slept the better part of the morning. "I didn't want to wake you, my boy, you seemed to be having a rather involving dream, so I let you sleep in today." grandfather says to the boy, his voice unconcerned.

"I also have a need to go to town to check on something today, but I'll be back in time for our story, don't you worry, ok?" grandfather says, starting to close the door to leave.

"But wait! What about the fair? Can I come too, gran-pa?" the boy says, hurriedly waking up, starting to throw on his clothes. "Well, I guess you haven't been to town in a while…" grandfather says. "But you're not allowed to be disappointed if there isn't a fair in town, fair enough?" grandfather chuckles at his own pun.

"Fair enough gran-pa." the boy says with a smile at the small joke. "But I'd like to at least visit the gnomish candy maker if the fair isn't there, is that ok?" the boy says, trying to barter the deal. "Ok, be out front in five minutes or you'll have to run to catch up! The wagon is already harnessed…" grandfather says, heading outside.

On the way to the fair, the Raven paid the two a visit, landing on the wagon as it rolled along a leisurely pace. "You'll miss him on this back road." the Raven says to the boy. Grandfather, not understanding what the Raven says without the benefit of the stone, says with a chuckle, "Be careful, my boy, many Ravens like to fib…"

"Miss him?" the boy asks, "But we always take this back road, less bandits this way." the boy explains. "Better anyway." the Raven says, without explaining further.

The boy and the grandfather, so rarely seen in town, were greeted by the few who recognized them, and though no fair was to be found in the town, the day passed uneventfully. Not long after the noon sun had begun to wander, they made their way back to the homestead, this time using the main road, as it was a bit faster. Upon arriving home, grandfather says, "Well, glad we live in a nice quiet part of the world, my boy, for not a single soul was on the road today, and almost no one in town either. Sorry there wasn't a fair, and your wizard friend was also nowhere to be seen."

After arriving home that evening, the two unhitch the wagon and put the horses to pasture, going inside for a bit of dinner and the ever present bedtime story.

"Oh well, at least the gnome still had my candy!" the boy, chewing on a candied fruit, says happily. "And cinnamon sticks!" grandfather says, pulling out the candy he had found. "Always did like these things…" and the two quietly finished their dessert.

"Now, let's see" the grandfather says, after settling in for the night, "Oh yes, Sir Otto, Princess Orowina, and King Sauvin were the only ones left." grandfather says with an evil grin, rubbing his hands together. "I think we might actually finish the story tonight! How exciting." grandfather says, the anticipation practically gleaming in his eyes.

The boy, also excited to hear the end, waits patiently.

"And so, with Sir Otto being the only one left, Lady Sandwind having died so suddenly and strangely, fear crossed the brow of each one, Princess Orowina, King Sauvin, and even Sir Otto, for he knew he was next…" grandfather reads, building the suspense.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

**Chapter Twenty One**

"Sir Otto didn't waste any time calling on the power of his God, Heironeous, to save the Princess, the King, and himself from the power of the Shadow-Spinner. With a great battle cry, Sir Otto raised his sword and shield to the sky.

At that very moment, when the blackness was closing in, Sir Otto was consumed by a divine light. His entire being glowed, emanating rays as powerful as those of the Sun from every inch of his sword, shield, helmet, and armor.

The rays blasted out from his being, and spread the light of his God throughout the entire chamber, dissipating every shadow in the room, save for those that were created by the columns and rafters on the sides of hall, of which even those were made minute by the bright light shining forth to slay the darkness.

Princess Orowina and King Sauvin shielded their eyes from the bright light, looking through their fingers toward the Knight who had just become the Beacon of the Light of Heironeous.

The light dissipated the shadow, nullifying the web that the Shadow-Spinner had spun about the chamber.

During that moment, Sir Otto had become a living being of light through the power of his God, and all shadows were instantly revealed, including the Shadow-Spinner, who was, at that moment, standing directly behind King Sauvin…"


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

**Chapter Twenty Two**

Grandfather continues, the boy listening with rapt attention to the story, "The Shadow-Spinner, painfully revealed from his hiding place, put his dagger to King Sauvin's throat before the Princess or Sir Otto, his glow disintegrating, could move close enough to pull King Sauvin away.

Temporarily blinded by the radiance, and seemingly injured, the Shadow-Spinner, looking more like a man dressed in grays and blacks, snarls at the pair. "Say goodbye to your precious King!" and with that, the Assassin pulled the blade across the King's exposed neck, killing him instantly.

The Princess, enraged, then made a fatal mistake. She charged the Assassin just as he was pulling his blade through the King, her dagger before her, set to stab the Assassin in the chest.

She would have succeeded, possibly even killing the Assassin, had it not been for Sir Otto. For at that very moment, when the Assassin made his move, so too did Sir Otto, also charging the Assassin, bent upon killing him, unaware of anything else in his blind rage, including the Princess, who was just one step closer, and who had just stepped in front of his onrushing sword!" grandfather reads, and the boy gasps!

""No!" Both Sir Otto and the Assassin screamed at the same time. But it was too late, for Sir Otto's sword had indeed hit it's mark, just not it's intended victim. Princess Orowina, rage filled eyes staring in shock at the Assassin, who was just regaining his eyesight, started to slump. Stepping back a step in blind anger at Sir Otto, the Assassin moved away from the King, who fell dead to the floor. Sir Otto dropped his sword in horror after pulling it free from the Princess, catching her in the process. Tears rimming his eyes.

The Assassin, used to keeping his emotions and goals separate, took the advantage. He rushed Sir Otto, scoring a wounding hit, not intending to kill him, but rather to stop him from pursuit. He succeeded, for Sir Otto, broken in his agony, was in no shape to fight back.

It was then that the Assassin related his own surprising story to Sir Otto after the Princess gasped her last breath…"


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"I was their champion! Well before the Order of the Golden Serpent came calling. It was I who first offered to solidify their right to rule over all of Sharapuur. But they spurned me! Saying that I was _but only one man_. I accepted that fact, and left them to their wiles, almost forgetting the Princess in that time.

But know this, _Sir_ Otto, I was insulted gravely when your _Order_ was created, using _My_ herald! The Golden Asp, for generations has been the calling card of Assassins, not haughty Knights. For that reason alone, I returned, returned to find both my love and my herald stolen by the likes of _you!" _Spat the Shadow-Spinner.

"Know then, when you walk the wide world, Order less, Loveless, Spurned by your God for failure, that The Golden Asp is your doom! And the doom of the Kingdom of Sauvin, for ever shall my Guild rule this land henceforth, with _Hextor _as our Liege Lord!"

Sir Otto's eyes widened in surprise at that, for Hextor, Scourge of Battle, was ever the enemy of his brother Heironeous! _So…_ Thought Sir Otto, _this is how, this is why. No wonder he hates us so!_ "I will find you!" Sir Otto yelled, trying to stand up, to no avail, for his wound was too grave.

The Shadow-Spinner, turning to leave, paused, and said, "Every time you look at your own Shadow, _Percival_, know that you have indeed found me." And with that, the Shadow-Spinner turned and left, to make good on his promise to ruin the Kingdom of Sauvin, and to make Sharapuur a place where Knights are indeed not welcome. A place where only the strong survive, where Sand and Shadows kill as easily as any blade."

The boy, with sudden understanding, stood up in bed. "You are an Assassin! Gran-pa! For you have the Asp on your arm!" says the boy, accusing his grandfather, looking at him warily. "Yes, I was that, my boy, but know this…" grandfather begins. But just at that moment, the door to the bedroom slams open, a large imposing shadow snuffing out the lamp, and blocking the light from the other room.


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

**Chapter Twenty Four**

"I have found you, at long last!" says the figure in the door. Stepping forward, both Grandfather and the boy could now see that it was the man wearing the feathered hat, that the boy had described from before. "I found your children, and now I see that there is but one more after you…" the man says, with hate behind his eyes as he looks to the boy.

Not waiting for more discourse, grandfather, quick as cat, drew out a fine blade from somewhere within his clothes, holding it in his left hand. "As I told you, _Percival_, that all you need do is look to your Shadow to find me, and so now you have!" Grandfather, moving amazingly swift, grabs his grandson with a sudden spin, setting him back, close to the open window, out of the way of the impending battle.

Sir Otto, just as quick, defying his age, draws his weapon, a mighty longsword, as well. Each opponent, wasting no time, and no further words, begin their dance of death. Grandfather, spinning low under a backhand horizontal sweep of Sir Otto's blade, lashes out with a kick, tripping Sir Otto, forcing him down to one knee. Grandfather, at that same moment, pushes Sir Otto's blade out wide, continuing Sir Otto's horizontal sweep, with his dagger. Leaving Sir Otto's face wide open for a punch aimed as his nose.

Sir Otto, seeing his mistake, manages to block the punch with his free arm. He then pulls his right hand in and down, the longsword vertical to the floor, aiming a hilt-strike at Grandfather's pivot foot, holding too much of Grandfather's weight to move it in time. Amazingly, Grandfather kicks the foot out, just as the hilt comes in, forcing him into a horizontal split on the floor, but saving his foot from harm.

Seeing his advantage, Sir Otto, who is still on one knee, strikes out with his free arm, this time attempting to punch Grandfather in the nose. But the old assassin, ever on guard, sees the fist coming, and _grabs_ it right before it strikes!

The boy, amazed, clutching the Raven totem, scrambles back to the window, ready to jump out should the battle go wrong. Struggling, both Grandfather and Sir Otto push off one another, the Knight coming back to a standing position, and Grandfather rolling into a backward summersault to a low crouch, dagger at the ready.


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

**Chapter Twenty Five**

Facing off again, fury in Sir Otto's eyes, having finally found his long awaited foe, Sir Otto thrusts in with a stab of his blade. But Grandfather, seeing the over-eager maneuver, moves _toward_ it!

Just as the blade would have skewered him, he rolls along it's edge, moving inside and toward Sir Otto, slashing his clothes on the edge of the sword! Now inside Sir Otto's guard, grandfather, dagger reversed in his grip, jams the dagger to hilt, right into Sir Otto's shoulder! Eyes suddenly wide, Grandfather gasps! "I missed!" Grandfather says, for some reason easily being shoved away, back toward the window, from Sir Otto.

"Yes, old fool, you did." Sir Otto, holding a bloody dagger in his left hand, says with cold malice. "But you missed my neck only because of this!" Sir Otto says, holding up the dagger that had found it's way under Grandfather's ribs. "I shifted to stab you, and it saved my life." Sir Otto states plainly.

Grandfather, realizing the mortality of his wound, looks down, to see his lifeblood pouring freely upon the floor. Just then, Sir Otto drops his dagger and sword, grabbing the hilt of Grandfather's dagger, yanking it out of his shoulder with great pain, and looks up at Grandfather, with fresh hatred in his eyes. "I am no longer a Knight, as you so kindly reminded me, all those years ago." Percival says. "And thus, no longer required to fight fair!" with that, Percival lunges toward Grandfather again, only to suddenly be attacked by a large Raven flying through the window! Straight into his face it flies, screeching it's call, raking him in the face with it's talons!


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

**Chapter Twenty Six, The Greatest Assassin**

Dropping the dagger to fend off the bird, everything becomes instantly quiet, as the bird lands on the bookshelf above the bed. Percival, looking down, sees the boy then. Standing in front of him, a look of anger across his young features.

"It was _you!_ You who killed my parents!" Yells the boy at the former Knight. Realizing his mistake, Percival looks at his stomach, only to find Grandfather's dagger again jammed to the hilt into his belly. Reaching toward the boy, as if to strangle his neck, Percival falls to his knees, then to his face, and dies, falling on top of the dagger, pushing it all the way in.

"He was dead… anyway… my boy… the poison on the blade…" Grandfather, holding on to life, says as he looks at his grandson with new admiration. "But you did well, my grandson…" The boy, turning around, rushes to his Grandfather's side. "And now you, my boy, are the last Golden Asp. And I impart it's heritage to you…" With his dying breath, Grandfather touches the boy's forehead with his thumb, and a Golden Light seeps from his hand into the boy. The boy, too shocked for tears, looks at his arm, to find the tattoo of the Golden Serpent thereupon, and the tattoo upon his Grandfather's arm gone.

The Raven, taking a sudden interest in all of this, says to the boy "I told you, you are he!, The Golden Asp, the Serpent's Son! The Greatest Assassin to be! and I don't fib." And the boy knew the Raven was right.


End file.
